How can we embrace technology to bridge the UK’s health inequality gap?

The IET, along with NHS, industry and academic experts examined the huge potential for digital technology to ease health disparities and boost access to care, putting forward five proposals to shift policy:

1. Facilitate technological integration into healthcare, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and allocating resources for long-term projects.
2. Engage experts and stakeholders to ensure they stay informed of technological advancements and their potential impact on healthcare access and equity.
3. Support the expansion of successful initiatives, like Community Diagnostic Centres, to ensure these innovations reach people in need and contribute to reducing health inequalities.
4. Create collaborative platforms between government, academia, industry, civil society, and the NHS to cultivate environments for innovative idea-sharing and partnership formation to confront health inequalities.
5. Promote public awareness and understanding of technology's role in addressing health inequalities, alongside the importance of early detection and personalised healthcare approaches.

Collaboratively we can make a tangible difference in millions of lives. The IET is ready to address policy challenges to build a healthier, more equitable future for all in the UK, harnessing the power of technology to transform healthcare and bridge the health inequality gap.